Blending apparatus comprising weighing-scale-hoppers discharging tiles upon a conveyor



y 1966 M. A. SCHWEIKER ETAL 3,250,338

HOPPERS l2 Sheets-Sheet l BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING WEIGHING-SCALEDISCHARGING TILES UPON A CONVEYOR Original Filed Nov. 15, 1963 NNOE VENW WA ATTYS.

g4. A. SCHWEIKER ETAL May 10, 1966 BLENDING APPA ATUS COMPRISINGWEIGHING-SCALE-HOPPERS DISCHARGING TILES UPON A CONVEYOR Orlglnal FiledNov. 13, 1963 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 hwi QM Q3 Qh mmmvc SCALE-HOPPERS l2Sheets-Sheet 3 y 1966 M. A. SCHWEIKER ETAL BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISINGWEIGHING" DISCHARGING TILES UPON A CONVEYOR Original Filed Nov. 13, 1963y 1966 M. A. SCHWEIKER ETAL 3,250,338

-HOPPERS l2 Sheets-Sheet 4 BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING WEIGHING-SCALEDISCHARGING TILES UPON A CONVEYOR Original Filed Nov. 13, 1965 ATTYS.

y 1966 M. A. SCHWEIKER ETAL 3,

BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING WEIGHINGSCALE-HOPPERS DISCHARGING TILESUPON A CONVEYOR Original Filed Nov. 13, 1963 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTYS.

y 0, 1966 M. A. SCHWEIKER ETAL 3,

BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING WEIGHING-SCALE-HOPPERS DISCHARGING TILESUPON A CONVEYOR Original Filed Nov. 15, 1963 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.I4.

UNVENTORSZ MA COLM A.SCHWEIKER WAYNE C. WATSON WWW ATTYS.

y 1966 M. A. SCHWEIKER ETAL 3, 5 ,338

BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING WEIGHING-SCALE-HOPPERS DISCHARGING TILESUPON A CONVEYOR l2 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed Nov. 13, 1963 y 1966 M.A. SCHWEIKER ETAL 3, 0,3

BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING WEIGHING-SCALE-HOPPERS DISCHARGING TILESUPON A CONVEYOR Original Filed Nov. 13, 1963 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 y 1966 M.A. SCHWEIKER ETAL 3, 38

COMPRISING WEIGHING-SCALE-HOPPERS DISCHARGING TILES UPON A CONVEYORBLENDING APPARATUS l2 Sheets-Sheet l0 Original Filed Nov. 13

FIGZS.

y 1966 M. A. SCHWEIKER ETAL 3,250,338

HOPPERS l2 Sheets-Sheet l1 BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING WEIGHING-SOALEDISCHARGING TILES UPON A CONVEYOR Original Filed Nov. 13, 1963 ATT S.

1966 M. A. SCHWEIKER ETAL 3, ,3 BLENDING APPARATUS COMPRISINGWEIGHING-SCALE-HOPPERS DISGHARGING TILES UPON A CONVEYOR 13, 1963 12Sheets$heet 12 Original Filed Nov.

3 am nv ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,250,338 BLENDING APPARATUS coMPmsiNo WEIGH- INGsoALE HOPPERS DISCHARGING TILES UPON A CONVEYOR Malcolm A. Schweiker,Worcester, and Wayne C. Wat- "ice FIG. .2 is an enlarged plan view ofthe tile blending apparatus, shown at the left end of FIG. 1, with whichthe present invention is especially concerned, the view being taken inthe area 2-2 of FIG. 1;

son, Ambler, Pa., assignors to American Olean Tile Company, Inc.,Lansdale, Pa., a corporation of New York Original application Nov. 13,1963, Ser. No. 323,522. Divided and this application Feb. 9, 1965, Ser.No.

3 Claims. (or. 177-104 This is a division of our co-pending applicationSerial No. 323,522, filed November 13, 1963 entitled Blending Apparatusand Method, Especially for Tiles.

This invention relates to blending apparatus and method, especially fortiles, and has for an object the provision of improvements in this art.

In the tiling art it is frequently desirable to provide a random patternof different types or lots of tiles, commonly of different colors, andthe present invention provides means and method for preparing thedesired blend in the desired percentages automatically. Since the tileswhich are to be blended are commonly all ofthe same size and weight itis practicable to blend them by Weight and that is the arrangementprovided herein.

In the specific environment to be considered herein the blendingapparatus supplies a mixture or blend of different types of lots-colors,specifically-of tiles to a plant or organization of apparatus whichassemblies them in sheets of tiles held together by a backing sheet, asof paper, which can be removed after the sheets of tiles have been setin cement.

A plant for assembling and applying a backing sheet to tiles isdisclosed in the application of Wayne C. Watson,

- S.N. 216,120, filed December 20, 1962, Patent No.

3,172,525 and assigned to a common assignee.

That part of the whole plant which is adapted to receive a supply ofmixed or blended tiles from the present apparatus and deposit them inthe pockets of compartmented trays is disclosed in the copendingapplication of Malcolm. A. Schweiker, .S.N. 225,578, filed September 24,1962 Patent No. 3,177,568, and assigned to a common assignee. One of thespecific objects of the invention is to provide means and method foraccurately Weighing each of a plurality of lots or types of tilestogether with means and method for quickly changing the quantity of anyone of the lots or types of tiles supplied.

Another object is to provide means for supplying tilesto each of the lotweighing devices, together with means for stopping the supply or feedwhen a predetermined quantity has been supplied to the Weighing deviceand for starting the supply or feed after the weighing device has beenemptied.

Another object is to provide means for dumping of a plurality ofweighing devices simultaneously at a predetermined time after all of theweighing devices have received their allotted Weights of tiles.

Another object is to provide controlled means for conveying the severallots of tiles to-a mixing device.

Another object is to provide improved means for mixing the tiles anddelivering them to the tile arranging means.

The above and other objects of the invention as Well as various novelfeatures and advantages will be apparent from the following descriptionof an exemplary embodiment thereof, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a plan view of a completeplant layout of apparatus for blending, assembling, backing, drying andunloading trays of tiles and delivering empty trays back into the linefor refilling;

all

FIG. 3 is a partial transverse elevation and section taken on the line3-3 of FIG. 2;

4 (on sheet 1) is a longitudinal elevation, partly lI1S6CIlOI1, taken onthe line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

5 (on sheet 1) is a partial transverse section and elevation taken onthe line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5a is an enlarged generally horizontal view taken on the line 5a-5aof FIG. 5;

FIG. 5b (on sheet 2) is a partial vertical section taken on the line5b-5b of FIG. 5a;

FIG. is a vertical section taken on the line 50-50 of FIG. 5b;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial transverse elevation taken on the line 6-6of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the weighing hopper mechanismshown in FIG. 6, part of the related mechanisms being cut away forclarity;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG.7;

FIG. 9 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken on the line10-10 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken on the line11-11 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 12 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 12-12 of FIG.11;

FIG. 13 is a partial enlarged vertical transverse section taken on theline 13-13 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 14-14 ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 14a (on sheet 7) is a vertical longitudinal section taken on theline 14a-14a of FIG. 14;

FIG. 15 is a horizontal section take of FIG. 13; n on the line 15 15FIG. 16 is a vertical longitudinal section t k line 16-16 of FIG. 15 aen on the FIG. 17 (on sheet 5) is a vertical longitudinal section takenon the line 17-17 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 18 is a vertical longitudinal section tak line 18-18 of FIG. 6; onthe FIG. 19 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 19-19 ofFIG. 18 but with parts shown in a different position for removing tilesfrom the feed conveyor trough;

FIG. 19a is a horizontal section taken on the line 1941-1911 of FIG. 19;

FIG. 20 (on sheet 1) is a vertical longitudinal section taken on theline 20-20 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 21 (on sheet 1) is a vertical transverse section taken on the line21-21 of FIG. 20; FIG. 22 (on sheet 1) is -a partial horizontal sectiontaken on the line 22-2-2 of FIG. 20;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged left end elevation taken on the line 23-23 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 24 is a longitudinal elevation taken on the line 24-24 of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken on the line25-25 of FIG. 23;

FIG. 26 is a partial enlarged horizontal section taken 5 on the line26-26 of FIG. 24;

As disclosed in the later-filed application referred to above and asshown in FIG. 1, a belt feed conveyor takes tiles in random arrangementand feeds them to an assembling device 21 which aligns them in rows andfeeds them into the pockets of boards of trays 22 which, for example,have twenty-four spaces longitudinally and twelve spaces transversely ora total of 288 spaces for small tiles, for example x X A" and commonlyreferred to as 1 x 1 tiles; which boards travel on a forwarding chainconveyor 23. Excess tiles are swept off by an oblique brush 24 to areturn belt conveyor 25 which replaces them on the conveyor 20.

From the conveyor 23 the filled trays or boards 22 pass to a conveyor 26where they are precisely arranged in the pockets of the boards andwhere, after rearrangement, an adherent backing sheet is applied to thebacks of the tiles.

Up to this point the boards travel endwise. After the backing sheet hasbeen applied, a low level conveyor 27 carries the boards, stilltravelling endwise, to a turntable 28 which first raises them above awide-gage high-level conveyor 29, then gives them a quarter turn (90),then lowers them down upon the conveyor 29 for sidevvise travel to aconveyor 30 which carries them sidewise and closer together at a slowerspeed through a heated drying chamber or oven 31.

A cross conveyor 32 carries the boards from the oven 31 to a coolingchamber 33 through which they are carried by a conveyor 34. A wide-gagehigh-level conveyor 35 carries the boards from the cooling chamber 33 toa turntable 36 which raises them, gives them a quarter turn, then lowersthem down upon a narrow-gage conveyor 37 which moves them endwise andspaced apart to a roller table conveyor 38.

"On the roller table conveyor 38 the boards can accumulate and arepushed along by hand to a return belt conveyor 39.

The boards are transferred, as required by the forwarding chain conveyor23, from the return conveyor 39 to the conveyor 23 by a return crossconveyor 40.

The operations are largely automatic but operators may be used at aninspection station 41, a backing sheet applying station 42, and adelivery station 43. A paper supply and glue-applying stand 44 may beprovided for the operator at station 42.

The apparatus provided by the present invention prepares a mixture orblend of different lots or types (as colors) of tiles and feeds them tothe infeed conveyor 20. Still referring to FIG. 1 for a general surveyof operations, there are a plurality of proportional tile feeders 50,six as shown, which supply predetermined quantities of tiles, by weightspecifically, to a collecting trans-fer belt conveyor 51 which feeds allof the tiles of a given batch or dump to a cross conveyor 52 whichdeposits them in a power operated mixer or blender 53 which, in turn,after mixing them thoroughly, supplies them to the conveyor 20.

As shown in FIG. 6, each of the proportional feeding devices includes anupwardly inclined belt feed conveyor 55 which has tiles of a selectedtype (a specific color for each conveyor, for example) fed in to itslower end by suitable means, not shown, and which delivers tiles off itsupper end into a weighing hopper 56. The hopper has transverse strands57 atits top to break the fall of the tiles to minimize chipping andbreakage of them. The conveyor 'belt 55 travels over a drive pulley orpulleys 58 at its lower end, over a pulley or pulleys 59 at its upperend, and over intermediate idler pulleys 60 and 61. The lower-endpulleys are mounted on a drive shaft 62 which is controllably driven, asby a solenoid controlled clutch 63. The upper run or span of theconveyor belt 55 operates in a trough 64 carried, with the shafts andother parts, on a framework which is generally designated by the numeral65. The pulley 59 is an idler and turns on a shaft 66 mounted on theframe. The

trough 64 has inclined sides 67 which keep the tiles away from the edgesof the conveyor belt.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 20-22, the lower end of the trough 64 has an endwall 68 for retaining tiles to be elevated, the end wall having a bottomopening 68a normally closed by a gate 68b movable in vertical guides 68cand held in position by bolts 68d in slots 68e.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the shaft 62 for each conveyor belt '55 isprovided with a sprocket 70 driven by a sprocket chain 71 from asprocket 72 carried on a long drive shaft 73. Toward the right end(-FIG. 14) the shaft 73 is provided with a sprocket 74 which is drivenby a sprocket chain 75 from the sprocket 76 of a shaft 77 of a gear box78. The clutches 63 for the feed conveyors 55 are mounted on the driveshaft 73. A shaft 79 of the gear box 78 has a pulley 80 which is drivenby a belt 81 from a pulley 82 of the shaft of a motor M1.

The shaft 79 (FIG. 14a) also has a pulley 83 which drives a belt 84 andthrough it drives a pulley 85a of a lay shaft 85. The shaft 85 carries asprocket 85b which drives a sprocket chain 86 and through it drives asprocket 87 of a shaft 88 which carries a pulley or pulleys 89 whichsupports and drives the collecting conveyor belt 51. At the other endthe conveyor belt 51 is carried on a pulley or pulleys 90 of a shaft 91.Intermediate its ends the belt 51 is supported on suitable rollers or atable or both, generally denoted by the numeral 92 in FIG. 4. The beltis provided with side boards 93 for retaining the tiles on the belt.

Again referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the crossover belt 52 is supported onan idler pulley 95 carried by a shaft 96 and a drive pulley 97 carriedby a driven shaft 98. The shaft 98 has a sprocket 99 which is driven bya sprocket chain 100 from the sprocket 101 of a lay shaft 102 which, inturn, has a sprocket 103 driven by a sprocket chain 104 from a sprocket105 carried on the drive shaft 73.

The shaft 73 also drives a hopper dump shaft through a sprocket chain111 passing over a sprocket 112 on the dump shaft 110, over a sprocket113 on the shaft 73, and over an idler sprocket 114 carried by a shaft115. A clutch 109 on the drive shaft 73 controls the operations of thedump shaft 110.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the weighing hopper 56 for each of theseveral tile feeders 50 is supported in such manner that it can weighaccurately and so it can be dumped without getting its balance supportsdisarranged.

On each side of the hopper the supporting means is the same so thedescription will follow that of the one side which is illustrated.

Swing links 116 and 117 are pivoted at their lower ends to the hopper 56at equal distances from the center and at the upper end are pivotedrespectively to a high-level beam 118 and to a low-level beam 119. Thehigh-level beam 118 has one end pivotally supported through a swinginglink 120 to a fixed support 121; and the lowlevel beam 119 has one endpivotally supported through a swinging link 122 to a fixed support 123.The support points of the hopper supporting links 116 and 117 arelocated at equal distances from the ends of beams 118, 119 which arecarried on fixed supports 121, 123 respectively.

Midway between the links 116 and 117 and at the midwidth of the hopper56, the swinging end of the lowlevel beam 119 is pivotally connected tothe high-level beam 118 by a swing link 124.

The swinging end of the high-level beam 118 is connected by a swing link125 to one end of a balance beam 126 which is supported at itsmid-length on a fixed knifeedge support 127. The other end of thebalance beam 126 is pivotally connected by a swing link 128 to a weightbeam 130 having one end supported on a fixed pivot 131. The outerswinging end of at least one of the two weight beams 130 is providedwith a fixed weight post 132 and to be fed into the hopper. As shown inFIGS. 7 and 8,

only one of the weight beams carries the Weights W, the other carrying aslidable weight W1 which provides the fine balance. It is held inposition by clamp screws 134. A switch device S1 is mounted on thebalance beam 126 to provide a control signal when the predetermineddesired weight of tiles has been fed into the hopper.

The bottom opening of each hopper 56 is provided'with a sliding closureor gate 135 mounted in guideways which are in part formed by sup-portingrollers 136 or guide bars 137 which are secured to the sides of thehopper. The front ends of the guide bars 137 are loosely connected, asby a connecting rod 138 in oversized holes 139 in fixed frame parts 140,to resist lateral forces required to move the closure back and forthwithout restricting the necessary limited vertical movements of theweighing hopper 56. The top surface of the closure 135 is covered withrubber or plastic to cushion the fall of tiles and avoid abrasion of theclosure.

Means are provided for reciprocating the closure 135 Without restrictingits sliding movement and without influencing the free suspension andaccurate weighing functions of the hopper. The means herein showncomprises a connecting link 142 mounted on a longitudinal beam 141 whichat spaced intervals along its length is secured to reciprocatory slidecarriages 143 and connected to the closure 135 (FIG. 16) by a pin andhole connection 144 which provides sliding movement without imposing anyweight on the closure and hopper. The forward edge of the closure 135 isoblique, as shown in FIG. 15, to start the discharge of tilesgradually.-

The carriages 143 are provided with rollers 145 movable along guiderails 146 secured to the main framework. As shown in FIG. 13, the endsof the beam 141 are each pivotally connected to and reciprocated by aswinging arm 147 mounted at its lower end on a fixed pivot pin 148 andhaving a pin and slide connection, generally indicated by the numeral150, with the end of the beam. The swinging arm is operated by a crankpin 151 and a slide connection 152 from the hopper dump shaft 110previously referred to.

In FIG. 13 the position of the beam 141 for the closed position of theclosure 135 is shown in full lines and-for the open position is shown inbroken lines. It will be noted that the closure is opened when the crankpin 151 is above the axis of the operating shaft 110 where it isfurthest from the turning axis of the arm 147 and where a large angularmovement of the crank pin will produce relatively small angular movementof the arm, hence the opening movement of the closure will be relativelyslow. When the crank pin is below the axis of the shaft during theclosing travel of the closure it will produce relatively fast closingmovement.

Means are provided for holding the feed belt conveyors 55 againstreverse movement due to the weight of tiles on them when they arede-clutched after each batch of tiles has been fed to the hopper. Theanti-reverse mechanism is arranged so that it may be de-activated whenit is desired to open the bottom end gate of the feed belt trough toremove tiles therefrom, as when closing down or changing types of tilesto be fed.

This mechanism is shown particularly in FIGS. 18, 19 and 19a. A sprocket155 carried by a shaft 156 on a slide 157' has an overrunning clutchdevice carried in its hub so that it can turn only in one direction. Theslide 157 has slots 158 slidably mounted on clamp'cap screws 159 in suchmanner that the sprocket 155 can be brought into mesh with the sprocketchain 71 which drives the feed belt conveyor. When so engaged, thesprocket 155 will allow the sprocket chain 71 to move only in thedirection to cause the feed belt conveyor to feed tiles to the weighinghopper. In this position the cap screws 159 can be tightened to hold theoverrunning clutch sprocket 155 securely in mesh with the sprocket chain71. If desired, the sprocket may be resiliently urged into engagementwith the sprocket chain 71.

Means are provided for disengaging the sprocket 155 from the sprocketchain 71 when the tiles are to be re moved from the trough. As shown, alever 160a is pivoted on a shaft 161 mounted on the frame, the leverhaving a slot embracing a pin 162 on the slide and the shaft 161carrying another arm 16% provided with a roller 163 which is adapted tobe engaged by the side of a box 164 on a shelf 165 when the box ispushed in to receive tiles. At this time the gate 68b is pushed up andif necessary the feed belt 55 is turned reversely to move tiles downinto the box, the movement being permitted because the belt drive clutchv 63 and the anti-reverse-drive clutch sprocket 155 are. bothdisengaged. If the cap screws 159 had been tightened for running theywould be loosened to permit the slide to move during dumping; if aspring urges the sprocket toward meshing position and the weight of thebox on its shelf does not produce sufficient friction to hold thesprocket clear of the chain, the cap screws can be tightened to hold itclear. Except for axial spacing, the arms 160a, 1611b fast on the shaft161 act as a bellcrank and may be so designated.

Some details of the hopper scale beam mountings are shown in FIGS. 7 to12. These will all be clear from the above description except for themounting of the fixed end support for the weight beams 130. From FIGS. 8and 9 it will be seen that the reaction of the beams is upward; and toprovide knife-edge support here the pins 131 secured to the levers 130pass through oversized holes in the supporting frame members andinteriorly are secured to blocks 171 which, in turn are secured to a bar172 having a knife edge located exactly on the axis of the pins 131. I

The knife edges of the bar 172 engage relatively fixed supports 173which, however, are arranged-to have vertical and lateral adjustment.Each support 173 is carried by a plate 174 having slots embracing capscrews 175 threaded into the upstanding end 176 of a bracket plate 177which has slots embracing cap screws 178threaded into a plate 179 whichis carried by a transverse bar beam 180 welded at its ends to the framemembers 170.

As shown in FIG. 13, the closure 135 has associated with it a limitswitch device S2 to control the action of its operating mechanism, aswill be more fully explained in connection with the wiring'diagram.

Means are provided for smoothing the flow of tiles from the feed beltconveyors 55 to the scale hoppers and for preventing too many tilesbeing fed at one time. As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 5a, 5b and 50, this flowsmoothing means comprises a plurality of laterally spaced slotted bars181 secured by cap screws 182 to a transverse supporting beam 183 whichat its ends is secured, as by welding, to the side plates 67 of atrough. A guide pin 184 in a slot holds the bar in vertical position.The bars are ad-v justed vertically to leave a space at the lower end ofthe proper size to secure the rate of flow desired.

'The tile mixing or blending device 53 is shown in detail in FIGS. 23 to28. It has already been'explained that the blender receives tiles fromthe cross conveyor 52 and, after mixing them, delivers them to theconveyor 20 of the tile arranging mechanism.

The blender 53 comprises a drum 185 mounted on an inclined axis (about10) and provided with means for supporting and rotating it about itsaxis. The body of the drum is foraminous but with openings smaller thanfull-size tiles and large enough to drop out broken tiles of less thanhalf size and scrap. The drum is lined interiorly (FIGS. 25 and 26) withrubber to minimize injury to tiles and abrasion to the cylinder. Annulartrack rings or hands 1 86 of the drum are supported'on trunnion rolls187 carried by a frame 188. The frame also carries top guide rolls 189and end guide rolls 190.

The belt 52 which feeds tiles to the drum is mounted on a cantileverframe 191 so that its delivery endis located inside the upper open endof the drum. The drum is enclosed by an outer casing but this has beenlargely omitted for clarity.

The drum is driven through a gear 192 of the chain type secured thereonand is driven by a drive gear 193 of the sprocket type carried by adrive shaft 194 mounted in suitable bearings on the frame. The shaft 194is driven by a sprocket chain 195 passing over a sprocket 196 on theshaft end over a sprocket 197 of a shaft 198 of a motor M2 secured onthe frame.

Interiorly the drum is provided with one or more vanes or blades 199which lift and drop tiles gently to mix them as the drum rotates. Asshown in FIG. 27, the plates 199 are lined on the lifting side with amaterial having a low coefficient of friction, such as a polymerizedfluorocarbon known as Teflon 199a, so the tiles can slip off readily andare lined on the other side with rubber 19%. The interior body of theplates is a strong material like metal and the plates are provided withbent flanges 200 which are secured to the inside of the drum, as bybolts 201.

The foraminous lining of the drum 185 is arranged to be removable. Forthis purpose the outer portion of the drum is made as a rigidself-sustaining cage comprising the trunnion rail bends or rings 1 86and longitudinal ribs 205 rigidly secured thereto, as by welding.Although the lower end rail hand does not ride on trunnions it is maderigid to form a part of the cage. The lining is made in a plurality ofsegments with external longitudinal flanges 206 which are securedtogether by bolts 207. At the ends there are secured to the metal sheetof the shell-which is outermostradial flanges 208 which are secured tothe rail bands or rings, as by can screws 209.

At the lower end of the drum there is secured a fixed closure plate 212which closely overlies the end of the drum but is not connected thereto.This closure plate is provided with a bottom opening which can becovered by a vertically movable closure or gate 213 operable in guides214 secured to the closure plate 212. Means are provided for operatingthe gate 213 at desired times to close it during a predeterminedadjustable mixing period, say one-half minute to one miunte, and to openit after the mixing period to allow the rotating drum to discharge tilesdown upon the conveyor belt 20.

The means here shown for operating the gate 213 comprises a connectingrod 216 pivoted by a pin 217 at its lower end to the gate and connectedat its upper end to a crank pin 218 of a shaft 219 mounted in bearingsat the top of the drum frame 188. The shaft 219 has a sprocket 220driven by a sprocket chain 221 from a sprocket 222 on a clutch shaft 223mounted in suitable bearings on the frame. The shaft 198 of motor M2 hasa sprocket 224 which drives a sprocket chain 225 and through it drives asprocket 226 of a clutch device 227 which is adapted to connect anddisconnect the sprocket 227 with the shaft 223 at desired times to lowerand raise the gate. A limit switch device S3 is provided for actuationby the gate 213 at the upper end of its stroke as will be explained inconnectionwith the wiring diagram. The clutch used may be of the typeknown as a Hilliard clutch.

During an operating period the motors M1 and M2 operate continuously tocontinuously operate the drive shaft 73, the belt conveyor 51, the beltconveyor 52, and the drum 53. Other parts are under control of clutches,switches, timing mechanism and the like.

The operation of the plant will be explained in connection with thewiring diagram of FIG. 29. It has already been explained that the maindrive shaft 73 runs continuously to drive the collecting conveyor 51 andthe mixer feed conveyor 52 continuously; that the mixer drum way oflines L1, L2. A timer T1, which may be of the type known as A.T.C. timer#306, is provided for setting the length of operating cycles so thesupply of blended tiles will match the needs of the tile arrangingapparatus (FIG. 1) which is supplied thereby. The timer T1 closes aconnection in a line when a scale hopper loading operation is to beinitiated and opens this line when suflicient time has been allowed forloading and dumping the hoppers. Specifically it opens the line duringthe dumping period, which'is sufficiently long to provide adequatelatitude for opening the line at the timer early enough to avoidrecycling the feed conveyors until the next cycle.

Lines L3 and L4 branch off from main lines L1, L2 ahead of the timer T1;lines L5, L6 extend from a connecting switch in the timer to the feeders50; and lines L7, L8 extend from the lines L3 and L4 to the mixer orblender 53.

The scale switch device has two contact switches Sla which is normallyclosed when the hopper is empty and opened when the weight is made; andSlb which is normally open and closed when the weight is made.

The hopper gate switch device S2 has two contact switches-S2a which isnormally closed when the gate is closed and which opens as soon as thegate leaves the closed position; and 8% which is normally open and whichis closed as soon as the gate leaves the closed position.

The mixer gate switch device S3 has two contact switches-83a which isnormally closed when the gate is in the normal lower position and whichopens when the gate reaches the top position; and $311 which is normallyopen when the gate is in the lower position and which closes when thegate reaches the top position.

Also associated with the gate of the mixer is an air controlled timer T2with adjustment control means which determines the length of timerequired for the timer coil T2-C to shift its contact switches T2-C1 andT2-C2 after the coil has been energized and thus to determine how longthe gate is held closed for mixing before it is opened for dumping tilesfrom the drum. The contact switch T2-C1 is normally closed (when thecoil T2-C is de-energized) and is opened at the predetermined set delaytime after the coil T2-C has been energized. As will be seen, the coilT2-C is energized after the scale hopper gates have re-closed afterdumping. The other contact switch T2-C2 is normally open and is closedwhen the companion switch T2-C1 is opened.

The clutch device 227, referred to as a Hilliard clutch, requiresseparate energization for each gate operating action, one for raisingthe gate and another for closing the gate. Only the coil 2270' of theclutch is shown in FIG. 29. After it is raised, the gate shifts theposition of the contact switches 53a and 83b but the clutch will not beenergized to close the gate until the coil TZTC has been de-energized toclose its contact switch T2-C1 and this will not occur until a new cycleis initiatedwhich provides ample time for tiles to be discharged fromthe drum before the drum gate is re-closed.

When the timer T1 operates to initiate a cycle it closes a switchbetween lines L5 and L6. Line L5 connects with a line L9 which servesall of the feeding devices 50 in parallel through the normally closedswitches Sla of the hopper scales and lines L10 to the solenoid relaycoils C1 of the feed devices.

The clutch 63 of the drive for each feed belt conveyor is represented inFIG. 29 by its coil, designated by the number 630. This solenoid coil63c is suppled with rectified current, say volt DC, by a rectifier 230served by lines L12 and L13. Line L6 which connects with a line L14which serves all of the feed devices in parallel through lines L15leading to two relay switches to be described. Line L9 has branch linesL16 leading mom of these same switches. A line L17 which branches fromthe line L3 is connected to the other side of the relay coils C1 byparallel branch lines L18.

Each of the relay coils C1 has three normally open switches C1-1, C1-2,C1-3 which it closes when the coil is energized; and also has onenormally closed interlock switch C1-4 which it opens when the coil isenergized.

The switch C1-1 connects between lines L and L12, to supply currentto'on'e side of the rectifier 230 and clutch coil 630; line L16 connectsto L15 through C1-2; and the switch C1-3 connects between lines L18 andL13 to supply current to the other side of the rectifier and clutchcoil. Lines L15 and L16 are in shunt with scale switch Sla to assurethat the clutch coil 63c is not operated through the scale switch.

The switches -C1-4 of all feeders connect in series in a loop line L20which also has in series a similar switch 02-3 of the scale hopper dumpclutch circuit to line L4; and after the last switch C1-4 a line L21leads to the coil T2C of the mixer run timer T2. t

The line L14 extends through C2-3 to L4.

The circuit for the mechanism which operates the clutch 109 of the shaft110 which dumps all of the scale hoppers simultaneously after all of thehoppers have been filled is shown at the right-hand side of FIG. 29.Here it is seen that a branch line L22 connected to line L3 suppliescurrent to one side of a solenoid relay coil C2 which controls thedumping operations. The other side of the coil C2 is supplied withcurrent from a line L23 and a line L24 which includes in series all ofthe switches Slb of the hoppers of all the feeders; and a line L25 fromthe last of these switches S1b extends through the switch 82a of thegate opener beam and back through line L26 to line L4.

This arrangement assures that the hoppers cannot be dumped until thelast of all of them has made its weight.

The line L23 from the coil C2 also has connected to it a line L28 whichpasses through the other switch S2b which is closed when the gates havestarted to open. Switch 821?, like switch S2a, connects by way of lineL26 to line L4. By this arrangement the relay coil C2 locks in on switchS2b when the hopper gates are opened and switches S1b re-opened toassure continued operation until the gates are closed and then to'stopthe operation.

when C2b is opened.

The relay coil C2 when energized, causes closure of its normally openswitches C2-1 and C22. The switch C2-1 connects a branch line L29 ofline L4 with a line L30 to one side of the rectifier 230 of clutchsolenoid coil 10%; and the switch C2-2 connects a branch line L31 fromline L3 with a line L32 to the other side of the rectifier 230 andclutch coil 1090.

A normally closed interlock switch C2-3 in the loop line L20 of thetimer T2, previously mentioned, is opened and held open until thedumping is complete so that the timer T2 cannot begin timing the mixingcycle until the dumping of all scale hoppers has been completed and thedump gates reclosed. Since the switch C2-3 is also in series with theline L14 which leads to line L6 to the timer switch, it is also assuredthat the feed conveyors cannot be re-activated until after the hoppergates have been re-closed and by this time the timer switch has beenopened.

When the timer T1 connects the lines L5, L6 the coils C1 are allenergized and start all of the feed belts 55 into operation to feedtiles to all of the hoppers. The interlock loop circuit L4, C2-3, C1-4(all), L20, L21, T2C, L7, L3 previously will have been closed to keepthe timer coil T2-C energized to hold its switch T2-C1 open. The gate ofthe drum will have been raised to close the limit switch S3b after theprevious cycle but since the switch T2-C1 in the line 83b is held open,the clutch coil 2270 remains de-energized and the Hilliard clutch doesnot lower the gate. However, as soon as the relay coils C1 10 areenergized the normally closed switches C1-4 are opened and the coil T2Cis de-energized to close the switch T2-C1 to cause the gate to beclosed.

Energizatio'n of all the relay coils C1 closes all of the switches C1-1,C1-2 and C1-3 and energizes all of the feed belt conveyor clutch coils630 to feed tiles to the scale hoppers 56. As each hopper makes thepredetermined weight for which it is set the scale switch device S1 willopen its switch S1-a and close its switch Sl-b. This deenergize the coilC1 and open the switches C1-1, C1-2 and C1-3 and thus de-energize theclutch coil 63c to stop the feed.

When all of the switches 51b in the line L24 are closed the circuitthrough relay C2 will be closed, the gate-closed limit switch S2a beingclosed. As soon as the gates leave closed position the limit switch S2awill be opened; but the companion limit switch S212 will be closed tolock in the coil C2 on L3, L22, L23, L28, S2b, L26, L4 to cause the gateoperating cycle to be completed (open and close all gates) and theswitch S2b opened again to stop the action.

As soon as the hoppers begin to dump tiles the scale switches Slb willbe opened and the switches Sla re closed ready for the next operation.

After the dumping cycle has been completed and the coil C2 de-energizedto re -close the switch C2-3 in the line L20 (all of the other seriesswitches C1-4 in the line having been closed before the start ofdumping) the coil T2-C will be energized to start the timing of themixing cycle. Due to the predetermined pre-set time delay of the timesT2 the switchesTZ-CI and TZ-CZ will not be shifted from their normalposition (T2-C1 closed and T2C2 open) until the end of the predeterminedtime period and the drum gate will remain closed during the mixingperiod thus provided.

The remainder of the drum gate operating cycle has already been tracedthrough.

The timer T1 is so set that is will de-energize the lines L5 and L6after all scale hoppers have made their weight and at some timethereafter before the dump gates have been reclo-sed and the switch C2-3reclosed.

Switch C2-3 has a dual function. Its open condition during dumpingassures that no current can reach the main timer switch before it opens;and its subsequent closed condition initiates the mixer timing cycle.The result of having the switch C2-3 open during dumping is that themain time is provided enough time to open its switch before the dumpingis completed and C2-3 re-closed, which assures that the feed conveyorscannot be re-started until the beginning of the next cycle; the resultof holding C2-3 open until dumping has been completed is that the tileswill have time to reach the mixer while its gate is closed and beforethe gate-opening timer starts to time out the mixing period.

It is thus seen that the invention provides improved blending apparatusand method which is very effective and eflicient; which assuresdependable coordination of all operating components; which provides aneven flow of tiles; which minimizes the damage to tiles; which overlapstiles of diiferent types on the collecting conveyor; which preventsreverse movement of the feed conveyors when de-clutched; which providesrelease of the feed conveyors for reverse movement for emptying; andwhich in other ways provides improvements in this art.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes ofillustration, it is to be understood that there may be variousembodiments and modifications within the general scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Blending apparatus, comprising in combination, a scale hopper, abottom closure for said hopper, -a swinging arm for operating saidclosure, a crank pin for operating said arm, said crank pin beinglocated along the length of the arm and connected thereto in such manneras to open the closure above the crank turning center to provide slowopening of the closure and to close the closure when .below the crankturning center to provide rapid closing of the closure.

2. Blending apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and further in which,said closure being a sliding plate movable past a bottom opening of saidhopper, said closure plate and the bottom opening having cooperatingopening edges formed to provide a gradual transition from initialopening to full open position.

3. Blending apparatus for tiles comprising in combination, a pluralityof tile weighing devices each arranged to provide a predetermined weightof tiles, separately driven feed means for supplying tiles to each ofsaid weighing devies, means controlled by each of said Weighing devicesfor halting the supply of tiles by its feed means when a predeterminedweight of tiles has-been delivered to said weighing devices, atravelling conveyor for collecting tiles from all of said weighingdevices, each of said Weighing devices including a scale hopper ontowhich the supply of tiles is delivered, a closure plate slidably mounted:at the bottom of each of said hoppers for movement from a closedposition to a full open position to discharge tiles from the hoppersonto said travelling conveyor, said closure plate having a taperedleading edge to provide a gradual transition from initial opening to itsfull open position, and means for actuating said closure plates from theclosed position to the full open position to cause discharge of thetiles from the hoppers onto said travelling conveyor, said actuatingmeans being responsive to interrelated controls of all of said weighingdevices to provide simultaneous discharge of all of said weighingdevices after all of said weighing devices have received theirpredetermined weight of tiles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATEN S 633,629 9/1899Wanzer 177-69 955,693 4/1910 Richardson 177-4104 1,066,656 7/1913Richardson l77--104 2,398,887 4/1946 Drinnon 177-104 X 2,412,506 12/1946Greene et a1 177-69 2,932,483 4/1960 Dodd 177-109 X FOREIGN PATENTS114,143 6/1945 Sweden. 175,393 5/1935 Switzerland.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner. G. J. PORTER, Assistant Examiner.

1. BLENDING APPARATUS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A SCALE HOPPER, ABOTTOM CLOSURE FOR SAID HOPPER, SWINGING ARM FOR OPERATING SAID CLOSURE,A CRANK PIN FOR OPERATING SAID ARM, SAID CRANK PIN BEING LOCATED ALONGTHE LENGTH OF THE ARM AND CONNECTED THERETO IN SUCH MANNER AS TO OPENTHE CLOSURE ABOVE THE CRANK TURNING CENTER TO PROVIDE SLOW OPENING OFTHE CLOSURE AND TO CLOSE THE CLOSURE WHEN BELOW THE CRANK TURNING CENTERTO PROVIDE RAPID CLOSING OF THE CLOSURE.